Rangers Draft Day: ’99

By pbadmin

June 26th, 1999

With the 11th overall pick in a very deep draft the Rangers are in position to walk away with a very solid player for their future. Below is a brief list of some of the players the Rangers have focused in on with the 11th pick.

Taylor Pyatt: LW,6’4 220 pounds: A power left winger in the making, Pyatt is first on the Rangers wish list. He has super size, a great shot and great speed. His speed is what seperates him from the rest of big power fowards available. Forget about him playing in the NHL for at least two years. However he is the type of kid who could turn around and be the ultimate power foward when he does. He is such a big kid he could be a huge hit or a miss. He has to feel totally comfortable with his body and use his size more often.

Jani Rita: RW,6’1, 205: This kid is a power foward just like Pyatt. While his size isn’t as good as Pyatt’s his skill level is world class. Questions have come up about his scoring, but when you look below the surface you see his lackluster linemates and you see him playing against guys who in some cases are 4 or 5 years his elder. He will score at the NHL level… and in my opinion will net 40 goals someday at this level. He is actually better then Pyatt and if I had to chose I’d take Rita. Oleg Saprykin: LW/C,6’1,180: Forget reports about this kid being too small. He is bigger then listed. He is not a giant but he has that drive that screams NHL player. His offensive upside is nice and he could net 35 goals in the NHL someday. His only drawback is timing…he needs to pick his spots better but at the same time this was his first year in North America.

Barrett Jackman: LD, 6’1, 200: Scouts say his size might hurt his stock, but Martin Madden of the Rangers loves this kid. This is the type of defenseman you win with. He is as tough as nails and has some offensive upside. He reminds me of a cross between Brendan Witt and Nolan Baumgartner. Rangers trading down is a possibility and then they could still grab him.

Brian Finley: No this is not a mistake, the Rangers have considered taking him with the 11th pick. The reasoning is that he is at least two years away from the NHL. By then letting Richter go wouldn’t hurt as much. The possibility of trading Cloutier is out there making this pick possible.

Other Possibilites:Jeff Jillson: Big defenseman is a safe pick. Michal Sivek: Big center could be star or role player but should be an NHL player no matter what.

Martin Havlat: If he busts his tail he could be a star winger.

The possibility of trading down is always there if the Rangers feel the guys they really want will be available lower. If I had to make a prediction I would guess the Rangers draft Jani Rita 11th overall and grab Brad Ralph in the second round.